


All That's Left of Us

by ozaissidechick



Series: Onward [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Canon Compliant, Cultural Differences, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Fluff, Happy Azula (Avatar), Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Post Comics, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Sokkla, Urzai, maiko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:20:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29414013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozaissidechick/pseuds/ozaissidechick
Summary: Azula and Sokka live across the world from each other. It's only a matter of time before the string that ties them together breaks.Sequel to All The Pain of Yesterday
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Hakoda/Malina, Kanna/Pakku (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Ozai/Ursa (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Onward [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142819
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30





	1. Miles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seyary_Minamoto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seyary_Minamoto/gifts), [kebabeater1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kebabeater1/gifts), [DeadDirector](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadDirector/gifts).



Everything aches. Not because she's just spent hours training. No, because today is Sokka's 18th birthday, and Azula isn't there. She prays her letter arrived on time.

"Here you go," Kanna says. "I don't know who in the Fire Nation is writing to you, it didn't look like the Fire Lord sent it."

_Sokka,_

_I apologize if this arrives to you past your birthday. Messenger hawks can't survive in your native climate, and the system for mailing overseas is outdated. Anyway, I hope you're happy shoveling snow in your face. That was supposed to be funny. Laugh. I really do wish I could be there with you. But you chose to go home three months ago. I don't mind, it's important to stay in touch with your roots and unlike the beginning of our relationship we have lots of time. Still, you're in my dreams and it's lonely in the gardens without you and all I want is reassurance that you haven't found some girl down there who doesn't request that you spend time with her little sister and pet dragon. Speaking of little sisters, Kiyi is frightened that our mother has disappeared yet again and I have no idea how to help her because I felt the same way. I hope she'll never feel such pain again. I know I won't. Because I have you, and you're coming back for me. You promised._

_All My Love,_

_Azula_

He'd give anything to be close to her right now. The letter made him happy and sad at the same time. He could hear her voice, but he couldn't see her face. He can smell her perfume off the paper, and holds it to his nose.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaims. "Come to the living room! We have gifts!" He drops the letter and finds his sister. 

"You pick who goes first, kid," Hakoda says.

"Anyone can go," Sokka says.

"You get to pick, Sokka," Suki says. 

"You should listen to your girlfriend, Sokka," Malina says.

"Suki and I broke up a almost a year ago," he says. "I told you that."

_"_ I'm sure she just forgot, Sokka," Hakoda says.

"There are plenty of girls here in the south," Pakku says. "We can find you someone. This year, you are of marrying age. I was 18 when I carved that betrothal necklace for your grandmother." Team Avatar shifts uncomfortably.

_'Tell them,'_ Katara mouths. He shakes his head. After a series of muted curses and threats, Sokka decides to share the news with the rest of his family. Through Katara.

_'You tell them,'_ he mouths.

"Actually," Katara says, playing with her food, "Sokka isn't looking for a girl right now. Because he already has one."

"Is that so?" Malina asks.

"I figured you'd have told us by now, Sokka," Hakoda says. "You've been home for months."

"Who is she?" Kanna asks. 

"She's uh- well, she's-"

"She's the Fire Nation princess," Suki says finally. "Fire Lord Zuko's little sister."

"The one he found with his mother?" Hakoda asks. "I figured she'd be much younger, but I guess not."

"Not her, Dad," Katara says. "We should really discuss this another time."

"She's-" A knock on Kanna and Pakku's door silences the room, and the latter answers it. A tall man is holding a package.

"Looks foreign," he says. "Have a nice night." 

"Put it in the middle," Kanna says, moving food. "Maybe it's a clue to Sokka's mystery girl." After removing the wrapping, a deep red box is left with a small white paper on it. Hakoda picks it up.

"To Sokka, from-" Hakoda meets his son's eyes. "Is this a joke?" There is a long pause as people try to peer over Hakoda's shoulder and read the paper.

"That's not Azula's sense of humor," Sokka says. 

"You're dating Princess Azula?" he asks, just to hear it from his son's mouth. 

"Thank goodness this is over," Aang says, wiping his head. "That secret was getting exhausting.

"You guys knew?"

"Dad, I don't know what got into him. But it's a long story."

"Well, it's not that long," Sokka says. "We were in the Fire Nation for Zuko and Mai's wedding. Suki broke up with me because things were moving too slow for her. Azula came home because she thought she was dying. I was learning how to draw with Piandao and he wanted her to be my muse. It's hard not to fall in love with a face you draw everyday. I asked her out, she said yes, and she ended up not dying. Simple."

"So that's what it is," Hakoda says, sighing. "You don't love her, you love her face. There's a difference. And we can find you a gorgeous girl right here. Could you imagine?" 

"I love Azula," Sokka says, clenching his jaw. "Everything about her. She's changed, and you believe people deserve a second chance. She's Zuko's sister, what's the difference?"

"The difference," Pakku says, "is that Zuko is your friend. Azula is your girlfriend. You can be friends with all the Fire Nation people in the world. We don't date them. Marry them."

"Yeah well I think your opinion is a little outdated," Sokka mutters.

"Sokka!" Kanna exclaims. "That's no way to talk to your elder. I don't know what you've been reading in those love letters.

"Or what's inside this box!" Hakoda says. "Open it!" Sokka slowly lifts the lid, hoping that Azula sent something perfectly family friendly. 

"Is this-" Sokka stares with wide eyes at the ebony blade. "Space Sword!" The weapon has a red kiss stain on it. 

"Another letter," Pakku says. He reads it aloud. "Yes, the lip stain is mine. Another memento to get you through these trying months. As for the sword, I remembered you whining about it. I took a piece of your water tribe armor and gave it to a bounty hunter with a Shirshu. I hope you like it, even though you'll most likely get this long past your birthday. The time we've spent away from each other is criminal. I _love_ you and miss you, Azula." 

"That sounded so...not Azula," Katara says. Hakoda holds his head in his hands. 

"Hakoda," Malina says. "We don't know the girl-"

"I know that she conquered an entire city with her mind," Hakoda says. "And I know she served her father up until he was locked away. I know she tried to kill my children. But I do believe people change. However. Sokka you are going to write to that girl. And we are going to meet her."

* * *

Azula sighs, sad that she really missed such an important day. _He won't get the gift for months and someone could steal it. Barbarians are over there._ She puts her head to her pillow dreaming that Sokka is dreaming of her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula and Sokka find each other in the snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I'm still trying to figure out where I want this story to go.

Azula is upset. Ozai is no longer leading the council meetings, so she thought maybe then the old nobles would hear her. But even now, all her brightest ideas basically need to be translated by Zuko to the elders. "He explains things better," they say. "Man to man." They do the same thing with Mai, who now gets to sit in on the meetings as Fire Lady. Now, today's meeting is over and the nobles shuffle out after congratulating Zuko on 'his' clever ideas. 

"Also," the Fire Lord says, "I have an announcement. I will be in the Southern Water Tribe next month along with the Fire Lady and my sister. We leave tonight." 

"Did you know about this?" Azula asks Mai. She shrugs.

"We got a letter. Something about tariff negotiations. Sokka said that we had to bring you. Something about family." Azula's heart soars. Sokka's family wants to meet her. So they must approve. The room is finally empty.  
  


"Zuko," Azula says. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

  
"Sokka wanted it to be a surprise," he says. "But before we go, you need to remember that the Southern Water Tribe is not the Fire Nation, and you aren't entitled to anything over there."

"I never thought I was, Zuzu."

* * *

As soon as Azula boards the airship all the worst thoughts fill her mind. _What if he's not the same as he is in the Fire Nation? What if his family hates me? What if it's a plan to lure me into unkown territory and slaughter me? What if he has a wife from his tribe? What if he really does eat ice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?_

"You'll be fine, Azula," a Zuko says, behind her. "Sokka wrote that he's excited to see you again."

"Of course he is," Azula says. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I just don't know how I'll feel about his home."

"It didn't make your heart grow fonder when I was banished," Zuko says.

"Of course it did," Azula says, sitting. "But I had to choose between getting my own face disfigured or showing my love to the boy that tried to kill me with fire daggers."

"You remember that?"

"Of course I do. But your kidney makes up for it," she says. 

"I'm tired, you guys," Mai says.

"So?" they say in unison.

"So shut up."

* * *

The festival of winter solstice is in full swing in the Southern Water Tribe. Dozens of tents are set up and the icy builidngs are lit with beautiful lanterns.

So, several people notice the arrival of a red airship with the Fire Nation insignia on it. 

"Clear the area!" a staff member yells. Hakoda is in the middle of a conversation with another tribesman when he is notified of the arrival of his guests.

"Announcing the arrival of Fire Lord Zuko, Fire Lady Mai, and Princess Azula!" a tall man exclaims. Six imperial guards step out of the airship first, followed by Zuko with Mai on his arm, followed by Ikem carrying Kiyi. Azula wanted to get out first, but alas she was too busy admiring her surroundings and she got off noticeably later than her family. Bad idea. It's less than ideal to have all eyes on you as you walk with a dragon on your shoulder.

And then she sees Sokka. She will not run to her lover, even if every fiber of her being wants to. She will not tackle him so he falls into the snow, then whisper into his ear just how much she missed him. No, she will walk like her mother, she is the closest thing on Earth to divinity with the one of the last of a species on her shoulder. 

When Sokka sees his girlfriend, he's frightened. Not because she's arrived, but because he's just thrown his boomerang in her direction. He almost shouts her name into the winter and runs to her, but she's wearing the concentrated expression which he adores and knows she is trying to make an impression. So instead he prays that she moves out of the way fast enough. She truly is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, and he sees the way the people of his tribe look at her. They've don't know what a Fire Nation girl looks like, but if they all look like her then Sozin's Kingdom should expect an influx of tourists. Olive skin like the sun hugs her every morning (it practically does). And hair a gorgeous brunette done up loosely but perfectly in a topknot with two strands framing her face. Large amber eyes shine under dark lashes. Lips that weren't exactly large but full painted in deep red lip stain.

Sokka remembers a time she got upset when he told her with the best intentions that she looked like a dragon. She didn't speak to him for days. 

_"I look like I have teeth that can't stay inside my mouth, a beard, and weigh tons? How kind, Sokka,"_ she'd said. But her almond eyes have a strange angle to them and her features sort of form a reptilian look. Explaining himself just made things worse. 

Finally, Azula catches up to her family. She also _catches_ the boomerang about to hit her in the head.

"Head Chieftain Hakoda," Zuko says. Azula's ears perk. _He must be Sokka's father._ "This is my wife, Fire Lady Mai, and my sister, Princess Azula." 

"Nice to meet the two of you," Hakoda says, even though he doesn't meet Azula's eyes. "Your sister looks just like you."

"Please do not say such things," Azula says, staring ahead. "I take pride in my appearance. Where can I find the nearest spa? My joints are extremely tense, airship lag and what not."

"She's just kidding," Zuko says, laughing awkwardly. 

"I am not," she says, walking toward Sokka. She stares intensely into his eyes before returning the weapon. "You dropped this. Here you go-" 

He grabs her by the waist and pulls her in for the best hug of her life. One hand rests on her waist and the other on her back. She wraps both her arms around his neck.

"I missed you, fire lily," he says into the crook of her neck.

"Did you get my gift?" she asks. Chief Hakoda clears his throat.

"We should go inside," he says.

* * *

"So you don't live in an igloo?" Azula asks. Sokka is giving her a tour of his home, and Hakoda is walking behind them, pretending not to notice how tightly their hands are gripping each others.

"I used to," Sokka says. "When Katara and I got home last year we found out the tribe had undergone major reconstruction. Gran Gran and Pakku still live in one though."

"Speaking of Gran Gran and Pakku, we should go their place," Hakoda says. He's itching to address the princess' relationship with his son. 

"Thank you, Chief Hakoda," Azula says. "But Sokka and I were going to explore the festival for a little while before I go to bed. I should ask Zuzu where we're staying."

"You're staying in a nearby hotel," Hakoda says. "You should probably go to it as soon as the festival is over." Azula reads people like novels. She knows her presence makes Hakoda uneasy. 

"If you really want me too, Sokka," she says. "I can meet your grandparents before we go back to the festival."

"I'm sure he does," Hakoda says, sending Sokka messages with his eyes. 

"Okay Azula," Sokka says. "Let's go meet Gran Gran."

* * *

Kanna has always waited for the day Sokka would bring a girl into her igloo. She'd loved Suki, and had been pleased to find out that her Suki's father had been from the North like herself. It broke her heart to know they had ended things. So when a girl who looks completely Fire Nation enters her home holding hands with her grandson, she recoils.

"Gran Gran, Pakku, this is Azula," Sokka says. "Azula, Pakku and Gran Gran."

"It is with great honor I introduce myself," Azula says, extending a sharp nailed hand. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation." Kanna reluctantly shakes her hand. 

"Nice to meet you, Azula," Kanna says. "But Sokka, where is your girlfriend?" 

"I am her," Azula says, clenching her jaw. "Sokka and I have been _romantically_ involved for months. We write each other love letters because he's so far away."   
  


"Azula and I are a couple, Gran Gran," Sokka says. 

"Azula," Pakku says, twirling his mustache. "Azula as in Iroh's crazy niece?"

"Between me and my uncle," Azula says. "I'm not the crazy one." 

"You've tried to kill almost everyone in your life," Pakku says. "I told you Sokka, the two of you aren't compatible. Azula isn't meant wife material and you belong with a water tribe girl. It's because of her that the White Lotus had to liberate Ba Sing Se." Azula controls her temperature. The old man doesn't deserve to see her blue flames.

"You have no place telling me what positions I qualify for," she says. "Ba Sing Se is my greatest military achievement, and my uncle's greatest military failure. The city would've been free after the war. Uncle just wanted to take his senior citizens club and try to redeem himself. The festival is almost over, and I don't want to spend my night in here. Let's go Sokka."

* * *

The festival is indeed almost closing when Sokka returns with Azula. They try hard to avoid the stares. Actually, Sokka tries to distract his girlfriend from the glares being thrown at her. Luckily, it began to snow and the villagers became distracted. Most of them, at least.

"Sokka," Azula says. "Where is a seculded area we can go to?"

"Don't bother. We've got about a half hour left anyway," he says.

"No," she says. "I have something very cool and important to show you." She surveys the area then grabs his hand. "Follow me." She leads him to the old Fire Nation ship. 

"Azula, we really shouldn't be here-" she holds a finger to his lips.

"Observe," she says. Then, two plumes of blue fire shoot up from the ground and join together in a beautiful spiral. But as the column spins, red and green and yellow flames appear in the mix. 

"Mother of La," Sokka says. "How are you doing this?"

"I don't know, but Akira does it all the time," she says. "I did it a couple days after the operation. I asked Zuko if he could do it, and he said yes, but not the way I can. It's amazing."

"Yeah," he says, "it is." But what's amazing to him is the cold blush on Azula's cheeks and the snow in her hair and the glow of the fire in her eyes. She smiles warmly at him.

"I really missed you too," she says. He picks her up and she spins in the air as he crashes his lips against her own. Whatever his family said. He would make them love her. They had to.

* * *

_A/N:: This is the reference I used when I say Azula looks like a dragon and it's my favorite fanart :) Credit to Medova-Art tumblr_

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you can, please comment and review. Find me on tumblr @waywardavatarenthusiast


	3. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Azula have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, finishing up this story. When it's over I'll let you guys choose what I write next. In the meantime keep liking and commenting.

Azula can't sleep. She knew Sokka's family wouldn't be all butterflies and fire lilies at her arrival but she certainly didn't expect buzzard wasps and jabs. She tosses and turns in her bed, wondering what she can do to win the chief's favor. Only one person has the answer. After throwing on her parka and boots, Azula quietly makes it out of the hotel. Feet trudging in the snow, Azula makes her way to the Hakoda's home. Until she hears feet that aren't her own. 

"Sokka?" she asks.

He doesn't hear her, and Azula is grateful. She has no clue what she was thinking by surprising the chief in the dead of night to ask why he doesn't like her. She hides behind several obstacles before Sokka stops. They are in bland area. The only thing that stands out is the circle of medium sized rocks and the large one in the middle accompanied by a bouquet.

"Hey, mom," Sokka says. "I've never come here without Katara. I don't know why. Anyway, I fell in love. It actually isn't the first or second time, but I think she's important enough for you to know about. She's um, well she's Fire Nation. Like super Fire Nation. She's their princess. That's not why I like her though, I swear. For someone who I always thought was so cold she understands things so well. I wish she got to meet you because things with her mother are really bad and even though I only got it for ten years I want her to have a mother's love because I think it would mean everything to her. She's brilliant, powerful, and so, so beautiful. I don't know how I got her. Her dad's went to jail for attempted genocide and child abuse. I say went because he escaped with her mother. She has a ton of family issues. Speaking of family, Dad and Katara don't like her. I get it, but I really wish they did. Because the two of them mean the world to me. But I'd choose Azula over the world any day-" Sokka stops talking immediately when he hears sniffling. A scan around the area shows a flash of red fur and pale skin.

"Sorry," Azula says, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I didn't know this is where you were going and I didn't know how to leave." Sokka's face is a deep crimson.

"So I guess you heard everything then," he says, avoiding eye contact. She kisses his cheek and his forehead and all over his face.

"I love you so much," she says. He grabs her hand. 

"If you're still here, you can sit with me while I'm here. We can forget about today's events," he says.

"Are you sure?" she asks. "I'll probably say something and I don't know if your mother wants to hear the temptress who seduced her boy."

"The sound of your voice is my favorite song," he says, making room in the snow. "She should hear it too."

They canoodle for about an hour, exchanging pretty words for gentle caresses. Sokka lays down with his head in Azula's lap who is sitting with her legs crossed. Finally, Azula says,

"You miss her don't you."

"I miss having a mother," Sokka says. "I know I'm awful, but I don't remember her. I don't know if I miss _Kya_. I don't get it. I'm older than Katara, how come she has memories and I don't?"

"You're choosing to not have memories," Azula says, playing with Sokka's wolf tail. Sokka clenches his jaw.

"What?"

"I did it when my mother first left. It's just how we react to trauma. How we protect ourselves. Remembering certain events can weigh people down. I hated the mental health facility, but there was this therapist. She taught me how to uncover those memories, good and bad. It may not work, but I can help you uncover you own." Sokka sits up to kiss his girlfriend again.

"Just the fact that you thought of that means everything," he says. 

"Well," she says. "Everything is what you're worth."


End file.
